Severn Bridge parkrun - event 279

On the 20th September 2025 I ran the Severn Bridge parkrun which was the 279th event held at the venue, my 254th parkrun and 171st different course I'd attended.

There are over 2,000 parkrun events worldwide, with just over 800 in the UK. Each event is unique, but there are some that stand out in the crowd and dare I use the term, grown to become 'iconic'. Events such as Bushey for the spectacle of 1,500 stampeding across the start line like a scene from Braveheart. The painful sand dune ascent as Woolacambe Dunes or the scenic beauty of Fountains Abbey.

These are events that tourist groups on Social Media have popularised and so visiting them not only becomes visiting a parkrun event it becomes a badge of honour.

When the football fixture list came out and Gillingham were scheduled away at Newport County on a Saturday morning, I knew straight away what my weekend was going to look like. There's an abundance of events is easy reach of Newport, but the one I really wanted to do was Severn Bridge. An event that starts in one Welsh county, takes you across to England before returning back to Wales into another county via one of the UK's most recognisable road structures.

At the time of planning, the parkrun event was going to be the highlight of the day with the football very much a secondary concern. Gillingham have an absolutely diabolical record against Newport County. Losing the past six games home and away and a winless record at Rodney Parade (Newports ground) that goes back much, much further. 

But Gillingham under Gareth Ainsworth are a different beast and this season has started positively with an air of something special might be happening. In their last match against Notts County they had equaled a club record of 20 games unbeaten in the league across two seasons. A win against bogey team Newport County would see a new club record being set and the current squad of players going down in Gillingham history.

The weekend was all set up for football again, but parkrun has become a routine part of our football.weekends now and so it seemed apt to run an iconic event on the same day as Gillingham potentially made history.

Severn Bridge parkrun meets beneath the M48, which is the former main crossing point into South Wales across the river Avon. There is a newer secondary crossing further downstream via the M4 which crosses the Prince of Wales Bridge but to my knowledge there's no pedestrian access across this bridge.

After the main briefing which takes place at the end of the tunnel beneath the M48, participants are walked up a public football onto the main deck of the Severn Bridge itself. Facing east into England you can see the dual carriageway running into the distance, first flat and then rising over the arc of the main bridge section itself.

The route is an out and back, just under 2.5km, as the finish is somewhat away from the starting point. The 2 and a bit kilometers takes you up and over the main arc of the center section of the bridge and the two main towers either side that hold the giant suspension wires that keep the bridge deck in place.

Participants are advised to keep right, so over your shoulder is the railings and spectacular views down the Severn estuary across to Wales on the west and England to the east. The new crossing curving across the water in the distance.

Hayden wasn't keen on the shaking sensation that occured every time a vehicle drove by, but he was fortunate that wind levels were low and we didn't have to content with the extra challenge of the weather.

Once the out and back has been completed, you carry on past the starting point and run back down the public footpath to where the meeting point was previously. You then run through the tunnel where a finish funnel waits a short distance away from the opposite end.

The inside of the tunnel has become as iconic as the bridge run itself with photographs posted weekly on Facebook of participants standing in front of the street art painted on the inside of the tunnel walls with 'Severn Bridge parkrun' written in bright yellow letters.

Running with Hayden again this week meant that times were (much) slower than normal. It appears that he picked up a knee injury part way through on this occasion, but nevertheless, I finished in 251st place out of a field of 261 in a time of 48.10. I offered incentives, attempted blackmail, but still wasn't able to hurry Hayden along. I console myself with the fact that he's there doing it when many kids his age aren't even up yet.

Without doubt the venue lived up to its reputation and is one of the UKs most iconic parkrun venues and one that any parkrun tourist.should looks to visit. From a runners perspective the course has lots going for it in terms of potential times. With a net downhill and lots of flat, dead straight running fast times can certainly be achieved here. As could slow ones if the wind is unfavorable!

Post parkrun it was a return back to our accomodation and the all you can.manage to eat breakfast buffet. Hayden managed to quite successfully whizz his way around the serving area after his tragic knee injury magically healed.

It proves to be a day of miracles and despite going 1-0 down to Newport County after 35 seconds and then conceding a penalty in the 9th minute. Glenn Morris managed to save the weak attempt and an encouraged Gillingham turned the game on its head with 3 quick fire goals to end the game as a content by half-time.

Hayden and I, along with Reaso and George who met us in Newport had witnessed history in the making. 

All those miles travelled, pain, defeats and lacklustre performances made all the more worthwhile by what is an historic achievement. Something we can tell the grandkids about and pass on our experiences through the generations.

Where were you Hayden when Gillingham went all those games undefeated? He was there, the day he ran across the Severn Road bridge in the morning and saw his team enter the record books in the afternoon.

Magic!